St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-10-24
SEVEN HEADLESS JAPS.
A Japanese Executioner's Fright
full but Scientific Exhibition of
SWOrdSmanShiD,


AS each man stepped from the path on
to the plateau his eyes were firmly ban
baged with white paper, the only act of
mercy saw youchsafed that morning,
says correspondent of the Gentle
mans Magazine, describing Japanese
execution. Finally they were ranged in
line, the two crippleS huddled on the
ground, their poor heads as they dropped
from shoulder to shoulder being roughly
buffeted to proper angle by the police
men in charge.
This accomplished, amid silence so
absolute that we could almost hear our
hearts beat, the great man Oh the camp
stool rose. and, unfolding large docu-
ment, read in loud voice what we sup
posed to be a description of the crimes
and the process of condemnation and
sentence. This was very long bust
ness, and before it had nearly finished
the native spectators were laughing and
Joking upon the appearance of the
doomed men with that callOuSneSs to
human suffering which so much blackens
the otherwise amiable and pleasing
character of the Japanese people.
AT last it was finished. AS there
were but five holes for seven prisoners,
two would be obliged to remain in blind
agony while their companions were
being despatched. Five men were &C
cOrdlngly thrust forward with the slaves
and fists of the police; each man was
made to squat on m Ound, his clothes
if filthy, tattered rags could be called
clothes-stripped from his shoulders,
his hands tied behind his back and his
head pushed forward over the hole.
Our feelings at this awful moment can
better be imagined than described, but
l think we felt quite as much pity for
the two poor wretcheS left alone to listen
to what was going on, without that ar
tificial aid to fOrtitude which the sight
OF a crowd sometimes gives, as for their
companions on their death seats. I'm
doubleday execution by the trenchant
Japanese sword is as merciful death
as can be desired but the Oriental nature,
as If to compensate for this erring on
the side of mercy, counterbalances itby
an undue prOlOngatiOn of the prepare
tiOnS for death, which is worse than
hundred deaths. So in this case.
AS the poor fellows knelt over their
holes the eXecutioner slowly and de-
fliberately took off his coat and barred his
garmS. Then he took from its silk casing
the fatal sword, examined it foudly and
lingeringly, from the yasuri me, or filing
on the hilt to keep the grasp from Slip
ping, along the k1mmOn, or groove Ill the
blade, to the point: held it over pail
while cOolie trickled water down it.
and with great deal of settling of his
feet was ready. | felt sick and giddy,
but [ kept my eyes fixed on the scene.
At a sign from the official OH the camp
stool the executioner raised his sword
slightly, hardly half dozen inches, and
almost before l could realize it the mans
head was hanging over the hole by a
single ligament and the blood was guSh-
ing forth in torrents.
l saw why the executiOner had not
completely severed the head; and the
wonderful skill of the Japanese swords
men, using as they do most perfect weap-
Ons in the world, can be imagined in so
arranging the force of the blow that alb
solute decapitation does not take place.
He tore the head off and held it toward
the four sides OF the square: then he
gave it to coOlie, who roughly pias-
tered the severed portion with clay
and stuck it Oh kind of elevated shelf.
In the meanwhile two coolies were
humping on the back of the PROSTATE
body to hasten the rush of blood, after
which one of the coarse mats was thrown
over 1t and it was laid aside.
had seen enough, and | turned my
head away as the executioner, after
wiping his blade with paper, approached
the second poor wretch,